In the life of a Treekid

Now that it’s warm and sunny out we can take full...

Sat, 04 May 2013 16:50:59 -0400

Now that it’s warm and sunny out we can take full advantage of our outside clotheslines!

These are a few photos from our last Open Mic of the semester,...

Sat, 04 May 2013 11:42:34 -0400

These are a few photos from our last Open Mic of the semester, held last Saturday.

Two weeks ago Bill McKibben came to visit Dickinson and he...

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:21:59 -0400

Bill Mckibben and some treekids!

Two weeks ago Bill McKibben came to visit Dickinson and he stopped by the Treehouse for a morning chat!

Meet your Treekids: Anna

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:39:51 -0400

Year: 2013

Major: Environmental Science

House Position: Manager/ Mom

Favorite Tree: Tulip Poplar/Magnolia

Favorite Article of Clothing: Her pair of chacos

Favorite Activities: Swimming, kayaking, hiking, drawing, eating, reading, making friendship bracelets, and coloring

Commonly used phases: “Don’t burn that!”, “This is why we can’t have nice things!”, “What are you doing?”

Sustainable things to work on: eating less out of season fruit, less commercial shampoo and conditioner, less packaged foods

Fun Fact: Has 4 dogs at home. All random rescues

Meet Your Treekid: Sam

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 10:01:11 -0500

Hey all. My name’s Sam. I’m a freshman currently living out his first semester in the Treehouse. It’s been both a huge and a incredible shift in my life here at Dickinson. Just a little bit about me… I hail from Hastings-on-Hudson, a small town north of New York City along the Hudson River. Some of the things that keep me going are writing music, exploring, and any activity centered around water (swimming, sailing, etc.). I came to the Treehouse to develop a more sustainable lifestyle. When I sat down to write out my goals for this semester these are some of the main points that popped into my mind:

Help make the Treehouse a more accessible environment for everyone on campus
Become more aware of how I play a role within the ecosystem that supports me
Develop a better understanding of how my food is produced and how it finds its way on to my plate
Expand the music scene on Dickinson’s campus!

Always feel free to ask me anything about the Treehouse or groups on campus I work with like EarthNow, SHOP, the Eco-Reps, the Idea Fund, or if you just want to strike up a conversation!

The Treekids had an eventful weekend! We hosted an open mic,...

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:38:52 -0500

The Treekids had an eventful weekend! We hosted an open mic, dressed up like book characters, and protested fossil fuels in DC!

Hey guys! One of my goals for the semester was to understand...

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 16:27:08 -0500

Hey guys!

One of my goals for the semester was to understand what is in my beauty products, and when possible try to make my own. What I am finding out is that making my own products would be fairly labor and time intensive (at least for a college student.)

BUT that finding better alternatives to products is fairly easy.

If started out on a gradual slope. Last semester I began using Suave with all natural Shea butter, by far not perfect but a small step forward. Then, before the semester even started I started using Organix organic coconut milk shampoo and conditioner. It’s made out of egg whites and coconut milk mostly…and also very expensive for the quantity…so also not the best option for me, but so far I have loved how it has made my hair feel! I don’t want to go back to inorganic hair products.

I am realizing just how many chemicals are in the products I previously used. So my new challenge is to only use organic or all natural beauty and hygiene products for two weeks!

In order to do this I will be:

Washing my hair with baking soda (after I finish my other organic shampoo) 1tbs baking soda per cup of water (this can be increased with hair thickness and length)
Conditioning with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar. Also 1tbs per cup of water, only applied to hair below the scalp. Can also be increased for hair texture, thickness, and length.
Deep Conditioning with Organic Coconut Milk (most likely once a week) http://saisun.hubpages.com/hub/Going-Nuts-for-Coconut-Milk-Hair-Conditioner
Using a 100% vegetable soap (The Honey & Black Seed Soap pictured above)
Tom’s Natural Toothpaste
Tom’s Natural Deodorant (Not the best natural choice, It contains aluminum like most deodorants, which is not environmentally friendly and has been linked to breast cancer.) Hopefully, I will find a better alternative soon.
Burt’s Bees Lip Balm and Lotion
No Make-up!

Some of the other tree kids may be joining in on my escapes.

It’s going to be quite the adventure. Feel free to ask questions about what I am doing and what you can do!

Treelove,

Kenze

It’s a rare day when the clothes lines are empty! Laundry...

Sat, 16 Feb 2013 16:26:03 -0500

It’s a rare day when the clothes lines are empty! Laundry time, anyone?

Tonight we are having a welcome dinner for new member of the...

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 19:00:43 -0500

Tonight we are having a welcome dinner for new member of the Center for Sustainability Education, Tyce Herrman. Tyce is the new Sustainability Projects Coordinator. The house has come together to cook a delicious breakfast dinner of pancakes, veggie fritatta, and fruit salad!

Treehouse Lock In!

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 20:19:33 -0500

All of us in the house tend to lead busy lives, and every once in awhile we like to come together as a family. After being involved in miscellaneous activities today such as hiking, tour-guide training, an entrepreneur workshop, and eating “fat waffles” in the caf we will all “lock” ourselves in the house tonight for a couple hours of bonding! Living in such a tight knit community of friends is one of my favorite aspects of the treehouse. I couldn’t ask for a better family!

Treelove,

Kenze

So I will be the first to admit that these are not master...

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:09:29 -0500

So I will be the first to admit that these are not master photography. It is late, and peaceful, and chilly in the common room. Three of us are here wrapped in blankets, balancing tea cups on our knees, and hoping to get at least a little homework done. I did not want to disturb the calm with the flash of my camera, but I wanted to photograph the postcards on our chalkboard. A sea turtle and double decker bus. A little reminder that our friends abroad are still thinking of us, and that, despite the distance, they are still present in the house.

A Treehouse Moment

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 22:38:32 -0500

You know, I had a moment today. Yeah, one of those moments. It came at the end of what I’ll call a long day. Not necessarily an arduous, difficult one, but a mentally provocative and trying day. I’d arrived back to the Treehouse after attending a lecture that had poked and prodded my thoughts and provoked many questions inside my head. The walk back home left me alone, confronting some thoughts that have pervaded my thinking for a while now: I know very little for certain; Is it not more wise to admit not knowing rather than to insist upon having knowledge?; Can happiness be possible without a firm foundation of things we “know”? These are some of many similar thoughts that have rattled in my conscious and unconscious for some time. They are questions that at this point in my life feel like they need to be answered in order to confront other issues like: what am I going to do with my life? I arrived back at the house and eventually meandered up the stairs and, partially closing the door behind me, into my room. It was there that it, the moment happened. As I weeded even more through my thoughts the notes of someone’s guitar found their way into my ear from down the stairs and everything stopped. I forgot about my concerns, my schedule, time itself seemed to stopped, or more accurately, ceased to exist altogether, and I became acutely aware of my immediate surroundings. If you’ve experienced this, you understand what I mean; it’s hard to explain otherwise. It was a moment, not really of happiness, but of true satisfaction. It’s certainly not often that these moments occur, but I believe I’ve had my fair share in the Treehouse, surrounded by truly great and exciting persons. The community they shape here, even inadvertently through just being near and being themselves is one I’ve never felt anywhere else. I’m lucky to be here, and to grow here. Thank you, Treekids past, present, and future.

The Treehouse’s stove that is fueled by corn is finally...

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:09:35 -0500

The Treehouse’s stove that is fueled by corn is finally fixed and up and running again! It provides some much appreciated heat due to the fact that the house remains at approximately 58 degrees during the winter!

Preparing for tonight’s event Meet The Treekids!

Sat, 26 Jan 2013 16:46:57 -0500

Preparing for tonight’s event Meet The Treekids!

I’m Kenze, and I will be moving into the Treehouse for the...

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 12:34:33 -0500

I’m Kenze, and I will be moving into the Treehouse for the first time this semester along with Will, Sam, Kimmy, Mackenzie, and Lexie. Every Semester the Treekids make goals, and as I am getting ready to go back to school I’ve been thinking about mine a lot.

Here they are as they currently stand:

Return to being a vegetarian, and eat more local foods
Buy only things I need, or things from thrift shops.
Work on remembering to use my reusable shopping bags
Remember to turn off and unplug electronics
Use less hair products and other beauty products; know what is in products I buy, and when possible make my own instead
Volunteer on the College Farm
Actually commit to keeping a journal
Bake/cook more
Figure out more art projects to do with the treehouse’s collection of bottle caps
Sing at an open mic

This semester is going to be quite the journey!

-KB

Christmas wrapping treekid style with newspaper and magazines!

Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:07:47 -0500

Christmas wrapping treekid style with newspaper and magazines!

Happy holidays from treekids past, present, and future. =)

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 12:24:43 -0500

Happy holidays from treekids past, present, and future. =)

What is the coolest thing about being a Treekid?

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:24:24 -0500

In my opinion, it’s the people in the house. We work hard to make it like a family. When I’m in the common room, I’m excited to see who walks through the door. My housemates ask me how my day is and actually care to hear the answer. We grow and learn from each other, particularly when it comes to environmental things. It’s really awesome to be in an environment of people who care about the same things you do and will support you and get you to think of issues in different ways. I look forward to our weekly meetings and times when we’re all together. It’s definitely a home away from home and a family. And that’s so wonderful to have at college!

IS it true that treekids have no heat?

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 20:15:53 -0500

We do have heat, although we keep it really chilly in the house. Our thermostat says 58 degrees, but it feels a lot colder. It’s particularly rough after coming back from winter break when you’re so used to your warm house at home. But we have multiple ways to cope with this:

We have a corn stove where we burn waste corn for heat
Making blanket forts- seriously it’s 10 degrees warmer in a blanket fort
Wear LOTS of layers, hats, socks, gloves, and then blankets and sleeping bags
After baking in the oven, we open it and everyone crowds around for warmth
We open our blinds during the day. We have south facing windows so when it’s sunny it’s a ton warmer
Snuggling with each other- I’ve laid on top of my roommate for a while because she was cold

So yes, we do have heat, but it is still frigid in the house. But it brings everyone together =)

What have the treekids been up to these past few weeks you might...

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:05:00 -0500

What have the treekids been up to these past few weeks you might ask…here is some photo documentation.